Talents emerge from general ability as a confluence of genetic dispositions, home and school experiences, and students' unique interests and learning styles. Gagné (1985) delineated a general pattern of talent development in youth, and other researchers (Bloom, 1985; Gagné, 1985; Keating, 1979; MacKinnon, 1978; Tannenbaum, 1983; Taylor, 1978; and Reis & Renzulli, 1986) have explicated the nature and development of talents. Our own model is represented in Figure 1. We see genetic factors as determining potential strengths and setting limits to the extent of talent development. Those who are likely to go on to high level talent development will exhibit precocity early on. Abilities, aptitudes, and intelligences emerge as a result of experiences, motivations, and styles. Creative insight skills (Davidson & Sternberg, 1984) a functional knowledge base (Glaser, 1984), and metacognitive creativity skills (Beyer, 1987) provide the final underpinning for the emergence of specific talents.
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